Roasted Tomato & Chickpea Soup

With Toasted Rosemary

"There is a place where the sidewalk ends/ And before the street begins,/ And there the grass grows soft and white,/ And there the sun burns crimson bright,/ And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To cool in the peppermint wind."

I love that poem. Free soup to anybody who can name the poet without cheating (Google has made this game kind of stupidly easy, after all). There's something about those six simple lines that paint such a vivid picture for me. I guess that's the beauty and the art (and science) of poetry. Prose is my method of choice, and under most circumstances I prefer it,  but the amount of skill and grace required just doesn't compare to poetry. You have to reduce down what you are trying to convey into as little words as possible, but they can't be just any words. They have to fit - not necessarily rhyme really, but flow. It's hard to describe but it's something everybody recognizes when they see it, and I am lousy at it. Oh well. 

I was just thinking the other day how I haven't written a blog post in a while. I cook every day but I haven't been bothering to take pictures or write down ingredients. It shouldn't be so hard to do, but it is! Even sitting here now drinking my terrible (and I mean terrible) coffee I can barely summon the motivation to recall what I put in this soup (it was delicious). Still, B and I enjoyed it so much that I will push myself to share. It really is a keeper. 

I didn't use to make so much soup but I find myself craving it all the time these days. My dad was never much of a fan when I was growing up, but in the last five or six years he started really enjoying Soup Meister so I guess I took that as licence to start cooking more liquid meals when I lived at home. And that carried on into my current living arrangement, I suppose. This is an altered recipe I got from a soup cookbook that B's sister got me for Christmas last year (and is beautiful and inspiring). I made a few changes, but it's close enough to get a mention. Here you go!

And yes, that's the soup I made right on the cover!

I am awful at following recipes so I did take some artistic licence with this one! The photo on the cover has been calling to me for months but I kept putting it off for some reason. Maybe I thought it would be more complicated than it was? I have been kind of lazy. It was super easy though, and I even whipped up a loaf of crusty herbed Irish soda bread (an altered version of my own recipe!). I think this is one of those recipes that you just need bread for. Period. 

Man, it feels weird to be doing another blog post! It's been so long, it seems. The funny thing is this blog was supposed to give me something to do with all my free time, just a little project to help maintain my sanity. It, er... didn't work, in case you're wondering. I feel significantly less sane than when I started, but at least I'm still sane enough to know that I'm slightly less sane than when I started the sanity project.

Does your head hurt yet? Mine does. Have some soup. It helps.

You will need...

4 tbs olive oil

10 Roma or plum tomatoes, quartered 

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

6 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 tbs ground cumin

1 whole cinnamon stick

2 slices roasted red pepper in oil (see below)

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 tbs plain greek yogurt

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

S&P

A hand blender, food processor, or regular stand blender

These guys. Great brand.

Preheat the oven to 450F. On a large baking sheet, spread the tomatoes, onions, and garlic evenly across the surface. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and lay two of the rosemary sprigs across the top. 

Roast uncovered for about 45 minutes or until tomatoes and onions are soft and caramelized. If they don't depress easily with a fork then they are not done! Roast them until they are almost disintegrating. 

Now, in a large pot toast the cumin and cinnamon stick over medium heat, stirring often, for about two or three minutes. Do not let them burn. We just want them to get all toasty. 

Now, add the roasted red pepper and mash with a fork or wooden spoon. The oil from the roasted red peppers should be enough to moisten the spices, but if it looks too dry add a splash of olive oil or spoon some of the oil out from the pepper jar into the pot. Simmer for about two minutes, stirring almost constantly. 

Once that is done, return to your roasted vegetables and discard the rosemary. Scrape the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and all juices (seriously, every drop is loaded with flavour) into the pot. Add the chick peas, broth, and bring the pot to a boil. Cook until chick peas are tender, about 30-40 minutes. 

Remove pot from heat and pick out and discard the cinnamon stick. Using your handy-dandy hand blender, blend the soup until about half of it is pureed and smooth and the other half is chunky. Add the greek yogurt and stir to combine. 

NOTE: You can also transfer half of the soup to a stand blender or food processor and blend there, but I find it easier just to pulse while in the pot. I wanted to keep some chunks in my soup but if you wanted it smooth (or totally chunky) either blend it all or don't blend at all, respectively. Up to you!

In a small sauce or frying pan, add 1 tsp of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Lay the final rosemary sprig in the oil and toast until crispy, about one minute per side. Then roughly chop and top your soup.

Serve hot with crusty herb bread or topped with sour cream/yogurt. Would be great with rosemary crackers, too. The perfect rainy day meal (I just wish my Dad liked tomato soup more, or I'd make it for him too).